137 



AMMODYTES 



THE body lengthened, almost cylindrical, with lines or folds along 

 the length of the body, distinct from a lateral line. Jaws protruded 

 before the eyes, pointed, the lower longest, with a fleshy pointed 

 termination. Dorsal and anal fins long, but not united to the tail. 

 No ventral fins, and consequently a portion of the apodal class of 

 Linnaeus: no air bladder. 



This little family of fishes obtains its English name from the shape 

 of their body, which at the front ends in a point, and at the tail 

 is so spread out as to form a distant resemblance to the butt- end 

 of the warlike instrument signified by the denomination; while the 

 lengthened and almost cylindrical body answers to the shaft. In 

 some places these fishes are also called Sand Eels, which answers to 

 the Greek word by which the genus is discriminated. They stand 

 as an insulated group, both in regard to form and habits, amongst 

 the native fishes of Britain. 



LESSER LAUNCE. 



SAND EEL. Two species are comprised within the name of 

 Tobianus by Willoughby, p. 113, and Ammodytes tobianus 

 of Linnaeus. 



Ammodytes tobianus, CUVIER. 



" lancea, JENYNS; Manual, p. 483. 



" YARRELL; British Fishes, vol. ii, p. 429. 



" " GUNTHER ; Cat. Br. Museum, vol. iv, p. 385. 



THIS little fish is an inhabitant generally of the more sandy 

 shores of the British Islands, and it rarely goes far from them 

 into deep water. They swim in companies of a few scores 

 or hundreds, and in the quiet days of summer are seen at a 

 small depth in the water as they are pursuing their lively 

 course in bays or harbours where, however, their fate is 

 usually an unfortunate one. Unable to protect themselves, 

 VOL. HI. T 



